Murphy’s voice returns

Fox midseason hold caused star to walk

Eddie Murphy has rejoined the voice cast of Fox’s claymation comedy “The PJs” after briefly bailing on the show in anger over Fox’s decision to hold it back for midseason rather than giving it a slot on the fall sked.

Producer Imagine TV used Murphy sound-alike Phil Morris for two segs, but Murphy is back on board for the rest of the segs.

Murphy, a co-creator of “The PJs” who has provided the voice of lead character Thurgood Stubbs, had already recorded eight of next season’s 22 segs before he walked. It’s undetermined whether Murphy will re-record the two segs he missed due to the cost of such a re-do.

Now that the voicing problem is solved, Imagine TV brass are said to have warmed up to the idea of holding off on the “PJs” bow to allow Fox to save some ammo for later in the season. But sources close to the situation fault Fox network brass for failing to give Murphy much advance notice of skedding decision and the reasoning behind it.